ARMED SERVICES EDITIONS

First published in 1943, more than 123 million "Armed Services
Editions" (ASEs) were handed out to U.S. troops overseas during World
War II. This giveaway represented the largest free distribution of
fiction and non-fiction books in the history of the world. More than
1,300 titles were published, including mysteries, biographies, crime
stories, adventure novels, and classic works of literature by authors
such as Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, and Herman Melville.

The original ASEs were discontinued in 1947. Beginning in November
2002, Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll has been working with major
publishers to bring them back. Hyperion, Simon & Schuster, and Dover
Publications were among the first to join together to publish and
distribute free ASEs to American troops stationed overseas and serving
on U.S. warships.

Hundreds of thousands of copies of the following
titles have been disseminated around the world:

MEDAL OF HONOR: Profiles of America's Military Heroes from the Civil
War to the Present, by Allen Mikaelian, with commentary by Mike Wallace
(Hyperion)

One Thousand One Arabian Nights, translated by Geraldine McCaughrean
(Oxford University Press)

The books are being formatted in the same "cargo pocket" size and have
the same vintage appearance as the original ASEs from World War II.
Books will continue to be distributed for as long as they can be
funded; ideally, new titles will be added to the list. Unlike the
original ASEs, these new books are being paid for entirely with private
donations. No government funding is being used.

Robert S. Miller, president of Hyperion, says: "We are extremely proud
that Medal of Honor: Profiles of America's Military Heroes from the
Civil War to the Present has been selected to be re-formatted as an ASE
and given to U.S. troops worldwide. Medal of Honor was written as a
tribute to those who have served this country, and we are delighted to
see it being sent to those who serve our nation now."

"The ASEs of World War II inspired a whole generation of servicemen and
women to become lifelong readers, and I have no doubt these books will
do the same," says Clarence Strowbridge, president of Dover
Publications and the publisher of the ASE editions of Shakespeare's
Henry V and Sun Tzu's The Art of War.

"The ASE giveaway of the 1940s is one of history's great forgotten
stories," says project coordinator Andrew Carroll and editor of the
national bestseller War Letters. "There is no limit to the demand for
these books, and I hope this is just the beginning of a much larger
effort."

"Getting quality reading material to our troops on the front lines is a
great initiative, and one that all the armed services are eager to
support," says the Pentagon's Chief of Naval Information, Rear Admiral
Stephen R. Pietropaoli. "The Armed Services Editions were a big hit
with the Greatest Generation, and it is heartening to see the
publishing industry looking for ways to support the men and women in
uniform who are defending America today."

An American soldier in Baghdad reads an ASE handed out by
Legacy Project founder Andrew Carroll during his visit to Iraq.

The books have been very popular with today's troops as well. The following represent just
a handful of unsolicited responses sent to the Legacy Project:

"The books were a big hit with the troops. We have many of our troops,
currently in areas of high concern, who have read them front to back
and over again. It's amazing how such a small book can make a huge
difference in their day. I along with them thank you for these highly
effective/morale building tokens and what appears to become excellent
memorabilia in the future for them and their children."

"I was given a copy of this edition and it is GREAT. I really love how
you can carry it around in your cargo pocket. So many times other
paperbacks are just a bit too bit. Also, these read so well it is just
enough when you are waiting and need something to occupy you. I have
not seen the other editions anywhere on base. Thanks for a wonderful
product, and please let me know how I can get more. This is the only
book I have managed to read in the last 4 months. THANKS AGAIN!!!!!"

"Well..let me tell you..the books went like hotcakes!! Put them out on
Friday morning and people were asking 'How can I get a copy of that
book?' by Sunday night. I was able to distribute 300 to Kandahar, 64 to
Kabul and the remaining 600 or so to Bagram..we have about 8,000 troops
deployed so they are definitely hungry for more..."

"I wanted to say Thank You for the books. All of the members have been
so excited about them. As soon as they have came in I put a notice out
and immediately I have calls and e-mails asking where they can pick up a
copy. I have had comments like 'finally books that are truly good
reading', and 'It really means so much to me to know that there are
folks out there who care and are thinking of me.' Each and every book I
have received I have given out and again I would like to Thank You for
the smiles that you have created. Keep up the good work! Thank you
again from myself and all of the members of the 184th, 134th, 127th,
177th, and Smokey Hill."

"I just want to take a moment and thank you folks for your efforts in
providing reading material for our deployed service members. I am an
Army Lieutenant Colonel and I am going to take command of an Infantry
battalion this coming spring. I know that if we deploy during my tenure
your books will be much appreciated. Unless they have been there, few
people can understand how boring a combat zone can be. I was a company
commander during the Gulf War and I have to tell you what few books we
had in the company were passed around from man to man like they were
gold. Thanks again for all you do."

Please note that at the present time supplies of the ASEs are very
limited, but the Legacy Project is working very hard to expand this
project as quickly as possible. Servicemembers are encouraged to write
to us and suggest future ASE titles. (The books do not have to be
military-related.)

Publishers interested in participating in this effort to revive
the "Armed Services Editions" are encouraged to contact the Legacy
Project directly. Please note that the Legacy Project cannot
accept overstock or used books.